A video tour of Antarctica’s McMurdo Station

McMurdo Station is the largest research facility in the Antarctic. Located at the southernmost tip of Ross Island, the facility includes over 100 buildings, three landing strips, a harbor, and a fleet of vehicles. During the austral summer, which is going on right now, the station is home to more than 1200 people, many of whom are there conducting scientific studies on a host of different projects.

If you’ve ever wondered what life is like at a remote research base like McMurdo, then the video below will be of particular interest. It was shot by a research diver by the name of Henry Kaiser, who visited the station back in October, and at nearly 12 minutes in length, it really does deliver a good look at the place.

When we think of Antarctica, we immediately think about what a cold, desolate, and remote place it is. But in this video, the station looks like it could be a small town located just about anywhere. Well, anywhere that experiences long, cold winters that is. Folks who live in northern Minnesota would probably be right at home at McMurdo.